It's been a while

I haven't blogged in a while. Not because there isn't anything to blog about. But because there's been a lot to blog about and just trying to pick the time to sit down and type it out. And also figuring out how much you'd like to know. Since I'm not one of those amazing blog writers, I guess it really doesn't matter because I don't have a cult following. Hee hee hee.

Things have been a little nuts lately but I can say that I'm peacefully accepting all the craziness and watching it work itself out. The girls really enjoyed getting back into the school swing of things after the Christmas and New Year's holidays. And this past weekend, they really enjoyed going to "Grandma Lee Ann's" house to go sledding for the first time this year. They're still talking about how much fun they had!

We also got to celebrate my mom's birthday over the weekend as well. That was interesting because it happened to be the day that we got another huge batch of snow. We enjoyed dinner together and then had our own mini-tournament of playing dominos at my aunt's house while we let the kids run wild and play.

Tony's been super busy with work right now which is a huge blessing for the finances but stinky that he's so tired and has to work a lot. But we are thankful because it's the exact opposite for me. Business is so slow for my boss that I'm looking at being laid off at the end of the month if things don't change. I'm confident that everything will work itself out and I'm trusting God to come through for us. He's done it before for us and I know He'll do it again.

The new semester recently started too so I'm getting back into the swing of things there. It's been SO long since I've had a science class and I've got Anatomy & Physiology right now. Thankfully I've got an amazing professor who wants to see her students do well. So I'm getting a crash course in chemistry and hoping that the information sticks! :0)

I think that kind of sums things up in a nutshell. I'll try to post something more interesting later. I really need to get creative like some of the other blog writers I know.

Thought for the day

One of my dearest friends took time to talk with me last night and shared a prayer with me that was given to her. It truly touched me and I think it can apply to anyone and anything that you are or may be going through. I hope that in reading it, it can come to life for you as well. Here it is:

Thank you for the gift of learning to live 24 hours at a time.
No undue looking back, except with fondness.
No fear of the future, but only the expectant wonder of what tomorrow's dawn will bring.
Today we were healthy, well-fed, and warm.
Today we loved, and were loved in return.
Who knows of tomorrow?
It is enough that today you shared the riches of your bounty with us.
It is enough, Lord, that you have been here.
For this blessed, yet triumphantly normal day - and for all the days to follow - I give you thanks, my Lord.
So be it.
Amen.

A new year's eve reflection

Wanna know how we spent celebrating New Year's Eve 2008? The girls and my sister's two boys thought it was an occasion for dressing up. No one gave them the dress code so they went the jammies/ninja/soldier/karate kid route. And Trooper was their mascot.












Maddie kicked 2008 out with a bang and lost her first tooth. At 4 1/2 years old! I was later told that Tony started losing his teeth this young as well. So I'm not worrying about her early need for dentures when she gets older just yet. She let Uncle Eric do a "wiggle check" with a tissue and she had no idea that he popped it out until after he told her that he couldn't find it. I took a picture of her making this face and then turned the camera around for her to see for herself that he tooth was gone. She was jumping up & down and screaming with joy because now she was going to get a visit from the Tooth Fairy and she could go shopping. Well.....we got home really late after toasting in 2009 and at 7:15 am I woke up out a dead sleep and realized that the tooth was still in my purse and that the Tooth Fairy didn't pony up the dollar that she owed Maddie. After slapping Tony awake in a panic for a dollar, we managed to russle up 4 quarters and I quietly dropped it in a cup and set it on the window sil for Maddie to find when she woke up. She was so excited to get the dollar (after we explained that 4 quarters is the same as a dollar bill) and take her first trip to the dollar store to buy her own toy with her Tooth Fairy money. This is something that the girls look forward to. Any time that they get money, they get the joy of feeding their piggy banks in hopes that Tony and I can create children who like to save money instead of spend it (like their mommy & daddy). But when the Tooth Fairy comes, that's fair game. They can either go right away and buy something at the dollar store with mommy & daddy helping by paying the sales tax, or they can save up their money to buy something a little bigger. Maddie ended up choosing a plastic recorder as her first tooth fairy purchase. Feeling generous she told Emily that she could get a toy too and Emily got a recorder as well. I thought it was a good idea since it's a musical instrument that would allow them to be creative. Until we brought them home and opened them up. Eeeeekkk..do you remember playing those in elementary school? I do, but I don't remember them squealing and sounding so bad. Oh well!

Today was also the first day back to school after the long break. Both girls were super excited to go back and see their teachers and their friends. Maddie went into Emily's classroom and school office to show everyone her "lost tooth" and then promptly ran down the hall to show her teacher at her school her "lost tooth." Very precious!